


So Below

by Tashilover



Series: Linked Universe [6]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gerudo Outfit, Horror, Linked Universe, Mild non-con, mild-gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-03-08 22:43:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18904153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tashilover/pseuds/Tashilover
Summary: The night doesn't end the way they think it will.A Linked Universe fic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of Jojo's fan comic, https://linkeduniverse.tumblr.com/
> 
> I have NOT GIVEN permission for my fics to be hosted on the shady app, _Fanfic Pocket Archive Library_ or any other app/website. I, Tashilover, gain no money from my fanfics

Jasper Olaf was a tall man with thick black hair, sharp black eyes, and skin so pale people thought he was a vampire. He was also the richest man in town and was easily identifiable by the thick rings on his fingers, his brilliant bright clothing, and his ridiculous feather hat.

He was bored. Usually he took great pleasure in playing roulette or blackjack at his town's gambling den, but tonight was slow. Due to the heavy humidity of the night summer, the den was mostly empty. There were a few regulars, but they were old and smelled like cheese; not good conversationalist for a young, strapping man like Jasper. He thought about going home. Maybe tomorrow will yield better results.

There was movement next to him. Jasper glanced over. A blond man with a single eye sat down next to him, two drinks in his hand.

"Are you Jasper?" Asked the man with a slight smile on his lips. He placed the second drink close to Jasper's arm.

Jasper huffed. "Just so you know, I'm not interested."

The man chuckled. "I only brought the drink to open conversation. According to rumors, you know the way to the sacred forest."

He did. The rumors of place said it housed a sacred power, and anyone wise enough to find it will be granted with a wish. It took Jasper nearly everything he had to find it, losing one of his fingers and two men on the way. He always meant to go back and explore everything it had to offer, but in the end, he prefer keep the rest of his fingers. "And what of it?"

The eye-less man pushed the drink closer. "I want to know where it is."

Jasper immediately decided he did not like this man. He didn't like his looks, his attitude, and most of all, his choice in drink. The man bought him Chateau Romani. Fucking milk. Who goes to a bar and gets _milk?_

Jasper still took the drink. He downed it in one go. "And what will you give me for in exchange? A single drink isn't enough."

"What do you want?"

"Six million rupees."

The one-eye man laughed.

"I'm serious," said Jasper.

He stopped laughing. "...Nobody has that type of money."

"I have that type of money."

"Name something else."

"That's my price," said Jasper. "If you don't like it, find the forest yourself. Assuming you don't get yourself killed in the process."

The one-eyed man scowled, got up and left. Jasper watched him disappear through the front doors.

"Freak," he muttered under his breath as he ordered a better drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten minutes later, another man sat down next to him. This guy was younger, with lighter colored hair, thick lips, and such young eyes, Jasper wondered if he was even old enough to be in here.

"Hi there," said Baby-Face. "I hear you're the man with information."

Jasper huffed. "If you're with that other idiot, my price still stands."

A rupee bag was suddenly dropped onto the table. The drawstring slightly opened, revealing hundreds of red gems.

"That's five thousand right there," said Baby-Face. "Tell me where the sacred forest is."

Jasper was getting sick of this. He came here to have fun, not get accosted by cheap treasure hunters. He turned to Baby-Face, and while keeping eye contact, swept his arm out, shoving the rupee bag onto the floor. It fell with a great clatter, red rupees scattering underneath their feet, the noise catching the attention of everyone in the room. Greedy eyes narrowed in on the two.

"My _hat_ costs more than that," Jasper sneered. "You honestly think chump change will get you what you want, kid? Trying to find that forest nearly killed me, and I won't settle for anything less. Now if you would please... piss off and let me finish my drink in peace."

Baby-Face squatted down to gather his scattered rupees. He didn't seem offended by Jasper's declaration, only frustrated. He opened his mouth as if to argue further, then finally noticed half of the people in the building was still staring at him and his money bag. Sensing danger, he tucked his bag under his arm and quickly got out of there, his metaphorical tail between his legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as Jasper finished his drink and made preparations to leave, another body slid into the seat next to him.

"Oh, for the love of-!" He turned to the person. "Will you and your little group fuck off-!"

He stopped, his voice dying in his throat.

"Am I interrupting something?" Asked the woman in teal Gerudo clothing. "I can still leave if you like."

Jasper sucked in a breath. He's never met a Gerudo before. Was she a Gerudo? He's always heard they were tall and had dark skin. This woman was pale and shorter than him. But weren't Gerudos warriors too? The woman had thick muscles around her arms, burn scars from years of fighting, long golden hair, and eyes so blue it was like looking into the ocean itself. Though half of her face was covered by a veil, she was stunning.

Jasper noticed in the far corner of the gambling den the men from earlier. They were not-so-subtly watching them.

His shoulders slumped. He groaned. "Are you here to get information too?"

"You noticed my brothers? I won't lie, they did send me over here, but I honestly don't care about their stupid treasure hunt. I came out here to have fun, not harass a good-looking man."

"Oh?" Jasper leaned closer to her. "And what's your name, sweetheart?"

"Zelda."

"That'll be easy to remember. Half of the girls in my village were named that."

"So were mine. Made for a confusing childhood."

Jasper grinned at her. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"Please. A Noble Pursuit, if this place has it."

Beautiful _and_ she knew her drinks? Jasper hit gold.


	2. Chapter 2

Wild has never been to a gambling den before. Oh sure, he's been to that gambling hut in Lurelin village, but that place only had one game- and Wild was sure it was rigged. This establishment was nice and wished he could have time to enjoy it. At least he was inside the building. Legend, Wind and Swords had to stay outside. The bouncer at the door didn't believe they were of age and barred them access, much to Warrior's great amusement.

The rest of the group found a table near the back and ordered a few drinks while they scanned the building. Once they spotted Jasper, Time downed the rest of his milk and walked over. As the others engaged in talk, Wild focused on eating the free chips and salsa the waitress gave them.

"How can you eat so much of that?" Sky asked, staring at him. "It's so spicy!"

The salsa was bright green, filled to the brim of onions, tomatoes, and peppers of every variety. Wild shrugged and dipped another tortilla chip in it, popping it into his mouth. "It's good."

"I swear, you have no taste buds." Sky chose to eat his tortilla chips plain.

Twilight was in the middle of drinking a pint of beer when he noticed Time walking back. "Oh, he doesn't look happy..."

"That bastard," Time hissed once he got to the table. He grabbed a nearby chair and flopped down upon it. "He said he wanted six million rupees in exchange for information."

"Was he being serious?"

"He said he was. But I think he only said it to throw me off."

Sky stood up. He brushed tortilla crumbs off his chest. "Let me try. He probably only wanted you to put your money where your mouth is. Hold on, I need to borrow this..."

He reached out and snatched Warrior's rupee bag from his hip.

"Hey!" Warriors protested.

"I'll give it back," Sky said. "Unless Jasper takes up on my offer. Either way, it's a win-win."

Wild continued to eat the salsa.

Sky came back only a few minutes later, wordlessly handing back the rupee bag to Warriors.

"Wouldn't budge?" Time asked.

"I don't think going back a third time is going to help," Sky said. "The harder we try, the more stubborn he'll get."

Twilight hummed. "I think we need to try a different course. Get his guard down somehow. Maybe we can bribe a pretty waitress to-"

Wild looked up from his salsa. Twilight immediately cut himself off.

"No," he said. "No, don't even think about it-!"

"What's going on?" Asked Hyrule.

Wild shoved the last of the salsa down his gullet. He ignored Twilight's protests and stood up. "Don't worry guys, I got this."

 

 

 

 

 

Jasper better hurry up and give the location of the sacred forest or else Wild was going to take that overly large hat of his and shove it down his damn throat.

He's never had to flirt for so long before. When he's in the Gerudo outfit, men practically throw themselves down at Wild's feet at the mere sight of him. He rarely had to make an effort.

But goddamn it, dare he say it? Jasper was a _gentleman_.

Other men wouldn't hesitate copping a feel. The amount of times Wild felt someone's hand on his ass was staggering. No damn wonder the Gerudo didn't allow men into their city if that's the shit they had to endure every day. Jasper however kept his hands to himself. While it was refreshing to speak to a man and not worry about getting molested, Wild only planned this conversation lasting only five minutes. He wanted to get back to his chips.

They ordered another round of drinks, this time Wild sticking to milk. He actually had a high tolerance to alcohol and could handle more than one glass of Noble Persuit, but he wanted to show Jasper he was not about get drunk.

If Jasper noticed he didn't mentioned it. "I've never met a Gerudo before. Are you a Gerudo?"

"No," said Wild. "But I am very familiar with the culture and its customs. I've adopted quite a number of them."

"You must be used to this heat then, huh?"

"Desert heat and what I'm experiencing here are two different things. I actually don't care for humidity."

"I can understand that. Do you want to get out of here? Get some fresh air?"

Ohhhh... shit. This had turn into a direction Wild was not prepared for. He gave a cautionary glance back to the group. By now, the majority of them got tired of watching from afar, choosing to converse amongst themselves. Twilight continued his vigilant watch, but even he allowed his attention occasionally be pulled away by more interesting topics.

Jasper noticed Wild's glance. "Unless you think your brothers will disapprove."

Wild chewed the inside of his cheek, debating. They needed information on the sacred forest, but Jasper was not going to give it up with the others watching. But what if he wanted _something_ in exchange? How far was Wild willing to go?

Sky said something that caught the attention of the entire table. Twilight turned his head to laugh, breaking his view on Wild.

Wild grabbed Jasper's arm. "Now. Let's go now!"

With an excited giggle, Jasper followed. They ran through the gambling den, dodging and weaving past patrons and employees. They nearly knocked a waitress down in their haste. Wild threw out a half-assed apology to her over his shoulder which earned him a rude gesture.

Once outside, the cooler air was refreshing on their skin. They stopped, taking a moment to breath it all in.

"Oh man..." Jasper gasped. "We just ditched your brothers. How angry are they going to be?"

Wild tugged on his arm. "We're not out of the woods yet! They're faster than they look!"

"I know a place we can have privacy," said Jasper. He pointed in a direction. "Over there. Follow me!"

They didn't run far. Jasper took Wild to the middle of the town where the water well was at. At this time of night, the entire street was empty. Seeing the well, Wild realized how parched he was. Milk did nothing for thirst.

He got to the well and dropped the bucket in. Once he heard it strike water, he immediately pulled it back up.

"You're very strong, Zelda," Jasper said, coming up next to him. "I've seen grown men struggle with a full bucket."

Wild quenched his thirst. "Mmmhm... do you want to drink?"

"No thanks. I've always found the water from that particular well tasting... off."

Wild took another drink. "It tastes fine to me."

"Yeah..." Jasper leaned against the stones. "I suppose this is where you're going to ask me where the sacred forest is at."

Wild jerked.

"Yeah, I expected this is where all of it was leading to," Jasper admitted. "A beautiful woman wanting to talk to me and not want something in return? Too good to be true."

Now Wild felt like a heel. "Sorry."

"Hmmm... it was fun while it lasted. But before I give you the answer... why do you and your brothers want to know so badly? To go through this much effort?"

Wild couldn't tell him the truth. According to rumors, the forest was a gateway between worlds. It could explain why the heroes were all together, and why their respected lands of Hyrule were overlapping. Once they find the forest, they could possibly figure out how to fix everything.

"Information," Wild said finally. "We think it holds secrets."

"I see... well... a promise is a promise." From his pockets Jasper produced a paper and a pen. He leaned against the stones, writing down the location.

"Here," he said, handing it over to Wild. "Zelda, just promise me you'll be careful. I nearly lost my life trying to find that place. As tough as Gerudos are, I don't want to see you hurt."

"Thank you..."

Jasper leaned in close, giving Wild a small peck on the cheek. His lips were blocked by the veil.

"Goodnight."

With that, Jasper tucked his hands into his pockets and walked off into the night.

Wild leaned against the well's stone wall, blowing air out through his lips. At least he got what he needed. He tucked the paper into his pocket. Now it was time to prepare himself for the mocking and various questions about the outfit he wore.

_"...Zel...da..."_

At the name, Wild turned. "What-?"

It wasn't Jasper. Rising up high from the dark depths of the well like writhing snakes, were three white, bloodless hands.

Before Wild could even comprehend what he was looking at, they struck out, grabbing him around the wrists, one hand slapping itself over his mouth, muffling his cry of alarm. He was suddenly and violently tugged backwards and downwards. His foot connected with the edge, knocking his shoe off.

Into the darkness he fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Jasper was supposed to be a creep and Wild was gonna punch his lights out, but Jasper grew on me. 
> 
> And yes... it's Dead Hand. :)
> 
> Just fyi, it's going to get darker here on out. I'll still put the appropriate tags at the beginning of each chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: blood, gore, non-descriptive violence on animals, body horror

"Your protégé is escaping."

Time's announcement wasn't needed. Twilight already caught sight of Wild taking flight, disappearing into the crowd with Jasper in tow.

"We better go after him," said Time. He downed the rest of his milk and stood. "Otherwise that kid of yours is gonna get himself in trouble."

Twilight shook his head. "Nah, leave him be."

"Really?"

"I'm his friend, not his keeper. If he want to go and have fun, that's his choice."

"Even if that choice is an idiotic man in a giant purple hat?"

Twilight rolled his eyes. "That _kid_ just ate his weight in salsa. If his breath doesn't scare Jasper off, nothing will."

Time laughed. "Good point. In that case, I'm going for another round of milk."

 

 

 

 

 

Wild woke to the smell of blood.

As the cook, he's used to the coppery scent. He particularly enjoyed the taste of blood pie, and when he had no water while traveling the desert, he would drink blood to keep him hydrated.

But this was not the scent of fresh blood. This was old, edging on the brink of rot. Wild groaned and lifted his head.

He laid on a pile of bloody, skinned furs.

"The fuck...?" He said, sitting straight up. There were dozens of pelts from various animals. Wild recognized boars, dogs, cats, sheep, and even squirrels were amongst the pile. Unlike Twilight's pelt he wore around his shoulders, these were not cut with a knife nor cleaned properly. These skins had been ripped off, leaving chunks of flesh behind.

"Gross..." Wild muttered, getting up and off of the pile. He shuddered when his naked foot made contact with the ground. Freshly turned earth seeped in between his toes, chilling them to the bone. "What the hell-?"

He suddenly remembered what happened to him.

Wild finally turned towards the rest of the room. He was in a large, circular stone chamber. Water dripped endlessly from the ceiling, turning the already cold dirt into mud, and the only light source came from burning torches on the wall. There was a doorway leading out on the other side of the chamber.

Sitting between him and the exit were arms.

Thin, pitch white arms grew out of the ground like weeds. The was seven of them scattered around the chamber, their palms raised to the ceiling, fingers curling like claws. The fingertips of each hand had been rubbed down raw, leaving bloody, shredded stumps. None of them moved.

"Oh... fuck this," said Wild. He reached for the Sheikah Slate on his hip. It was gone.

Wild cursed again. He searched the ground, thinking it must've fallen off of him, and then turned back to the hands. He saw it. The furthest arm from the exit held the Sheikah Slate tightly in its grasp.

A small droplet of fear seeped through Wild's frustration. Just like the first day he woke up at the Resurrection Shrine, he didn't know where he was, what was going on, and nobody knew what happened to him. His only constant was the slate, and now it was being held in the hand of some unknown monster.

Wild eyed the exit. He should escape now. Come back later with the others.

If it wasn't for the slate, he'd be dead right now. It held the photos of Mipha, of Zelda, and many others. Those could not be replaced.

"Fuck me..." He muttered.

As carefully as he could, Wild walked across the long chamber. He made his steps as light as possible, keeping an eye on the arms. Many of them were spaced out far enough to ignore.

He got to the arm holding his slate. The arm was taller than him by a good foot. He studied it for a long moment, thinking of how to wrench his slate away from it. Besides its unusual length, the arm was no different than that of a human. It had an elbow, wrist, knuckles, and on closer inspection, hair.

Wild reached up to grab the slate.

His puffy Gerudo sleeve gently brushed one of the pitch-white fingers.

Wild cried out in surprise as the hand suddenly dropped the slate, twisted and clamped down upon his wrist. Its grip was like a vice, refusing to let go. Wild kicked at the elbow viciously. He was unable to shake loose.

Another arm rose up from the wet soil. Seeing it, Wild tried to jerk away, but it grabbed him by his upper arm, wrenching him back. Two more hands burst through the dirt, taking hold of his ankles. He struggled.

"Motherfuckers-! Get off me! Get-!"

From the middle of the room, a bulge grew beneath the soil. It was pulsating heavily like a heartbeat. Then with a hellish scream, the bulge exploded, spraying dirt and blood everywhere. A _thing_ broke out of it like a macabre butterfly from its cocoon, its head reared up towards the ceiling.

"Oh goddess..." Wild said, staring at it.

The creature lowered its head. It had the face of a human. But its eyes were gone, leaving behind a small trail of gore like someone had ripped them from its sockets. It had no lips, only teeth, fitting inside of a jaw that looked like it been broken multiple times. Its neck was as long as the arms. The creature's body was bloated, its skin melted in several places, blood still seeping out of its wounds.

It had no hands. Only bloody stumps.

The creature shuffled towards Wild. With every inch it took, its teeth rattled against each other.

"Get away!" Wild yelled at it. He had no weapons, his slate was on the ground out of reach, and he could not break free. He was a rabbit in a snare awaiting its doom.

 _"Zel...da..."_ The creature moaned out. _"Zel... da..."_

"Don't-!"

It stopped. It was standing so close to Wild, its face was nearly pressed up against his. Close enough to kiss. The smell of rotten flesh wafted off of it.

For a long second, the creature did nothing but stare with its empty eye sockets. Wild kept deadly still, not wanting to break the tension. What was it waiting for? Acknowlegement?

The creature pulled back finally. It bent its head, going down towards Wild's shackled feet. Wild instinctively flinched away. The hands continued to hold strong.

When the creature pulled back up, Wild gasped. It had the Sheikah Slate in its mouth, clamped between its giant teeth. The creature jerked, dragging the slate further into its mouth, then proceeded to swallow the entire thing whole.

Wild watched in horror as a visible bulge slowly slithered down the creature's neck.

With that, the creature turned and shuffled back towards where it came, disappearing underneath the soil.

The hands finally let go. The suddenness had Wild stumbling. He caught himself and twisted around to see the hands that held onto his ankles also slipping back under the dirt. The other two remained, their palms facing up to the sky, resuming their frozen position.

 _"Fuck,"_ said Wild.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHO'S EXCITED FOR THE SEQUEL OF BREATH OF THE WILD? SURE, WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT PROBABLY 5 YEARS FOR ITS RELEASE, BUT I ALREADY LOVE IT


	4. Chapter 4

Jasper wondered if he made a mistake.

Sure, Zelda was probably using him and now her and her brothers were off exploring the scared forest with manic greed... but what if she wasn't? She hadn't tried to steer the conversation over to the sacred forest, she didn't drop any hints of wanting to know. They spent the night talking, and Zelda was a wonderful conversationalist. Jasper could've listened to her for hours. He wished he didn't stop the date prematurely.

These were his thoughts for the majority of the morning, well into lunch time. He sat at his table, staring out the window, his head leaning against his hands. He sighed.

"You seem wistful, sir," said his servant, Arlen, as he placed down a plate of food in front of him. "I thought you had fun last night."

"I did, Arlen, I did. I was just wondering if it could've ended differently."

"It's not like you to regret your actions. Was she really that special?"

Jasper shrugged. He picked up his fork. "Maybe. She really left an impression on me. Maybe it was her scars, or those eyes... also, she's so experienced. She was telling me of this creature that lives in the Gerudo desert. It swims in the sand, sensing vibrations and-"

They were interrupted by loud echoing banging coming from front door.

"Oh dear," said Arlen, stepping away. "Pardon me, sir. It's probably those darn kids again. I'll be right back."

Arlen walked off and Jasper started in on his lunch. He barely brought his forkful of sautéed eggplant up to his mouth when suddenly he heard Arlen yelling.

"You can't just barge in here! You're not invited!"

Jasper was startled to see all of Zelda's brothers forcing their way into the dining room. Unlike last night where they were dressed casual with loose shirts and standard trousers, today they were in full armor with swords on their back. Their heavy leather boots struck the ground with every step like they were an army on their way to a battle. Arlen was still yelling at them to leave, but he was ignored.

The one leading the charge had a facial tattoo. There was a cold deadliness in his expression and he had eyes like an animal. Jasper suddenly felt like an insect stuck in a web as a wolf spider slowly descended upon him. He lowered his fork, swallowing. There was no place to hide and he was sure if he tried, he would get a sword in his back for good measure.

Zelda was not with them.

The brothers stopped at the table, wordlessly staring down at him. The silence stretched, and Jasper was sure they could hear his heart pounding fiercely in his chest.

"My sister," said Facial Tattoo finally. "Where is she?"

Jasper blinked in confusion. "How should I know?"

That was the wrong thing to say. With a snarl, the brother reached over, grabbed Jasper by the hem of his shirt, and hauled him out of his chair, knocking over the plate of eggplant. The brother held Jasper up high like he weighed nothing.

"Don't _fuck_ with me right now," the brother growled, giving Jasper a harsh shake. "Is she here?"

Jasper gasped. "No! We parted the night before!"

"I saw you leave with her!"

"I left after I gave her the location to the scared forest! She probably went there by herself!"

The brother dropped him. Jasper crumpled to the floor, gasping.

"She wouldn't go alone," said the brother. "She didn't come back last night. And if she's not with you, then where the hell is she?"

"I don't know!" Jasper said. "When I left her, it was at the well in the middle of town-"

"Wait," said the one-eye freak. "Did you say, _well?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was more to this chapter, but I keep flip-flopping on how much exposition to put in. I may have to scrap the entire chapter cause it's just so damn boring even tho it contains blood and more blood!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: blood, non-graphic mentions of past torture, mild body horror

The walls were as cold as ice. The water dripping down them smelled like old pond scum. Despite this, Wild pressed himself as much as he could against the walls, shoving his back and face into it. The water soaked through his Gerudo outfit, furthering staining it. Animal blood dripped down the back of his calves. He was going to burn his clothes as soon as he got to the surface.

He slipped past the disembodied hands blocking the exit, making damn sure nothing touched them. The moment he was free, he took off running.

The loose soil floor soon gave way to thick stone, then to running water. Every step he took was agony. The bitter coldness bit into his feet, promising frostbite. Wild gritted his teeth and continued on. He could worry about his feet later. First he needed to find a way out of here.

He continued on.

Nearly an hour later, Wild was leaning against the tunnel walls, gasping for air. This place was like a maze. Every tunnel looked the same and the lack of light didn't help. He was exhausted. Besides the salsa and Nobel Pursuit, Wild also hadn't eaten or drank in hours. A terrible headache plagued his brain, making him nauseous.

Wild has never been in a sewer system before, but he was sure something was wrong with this one. By now he should've found an exit point where the water flowed out. There should be more openings for rain water. The fact the tunnels were built large enough to comfortably fit a full grown man suggested something else. Wild didn't think the monster could've made these tunnels.

Wild turned down another tunnel. He stopped.

There was a door.

It sat a good foot off the ground, and it was made out of thick, heavy metal. The rusted hinges were as big as Wild's fists. The symbol of the Sheikah was imprinted on it. This door was made specifically to keep something from leaving.

Instinct told Wild he should not go in there. Finding a goddamn door in the middle of a sewer while a monster roamed its tunnels was too fucking bizarre to handle. But his feet didn't give him many options. Either get out of this freezing cold water or lose his feet to frostbite.

Wild pushed against the door. There was a moment of resistance, then with a loud groan, it swung opened. Wild stepped up and out of the water, entering this new area. He immediately regretted it.

It was a torture chamber. Chains and hooks hung from the ceiling. There were several large wooden tables around the chamber with shackles on them. Old blood stained the floor beneath it, turning it black. As Wild walked in further, he saw more and more instruments to cause pain. There were hammers of various sizes, clamps, rusted nails, thick iron rods that ended in a dull point, knives, pliers, needles, little metal balls, and so much more.

Seeing all this, Wild hugged himself, a cold worse than ice water settling deep within his bones. Though it was silent, he could hear the screams of the damned around him. Wild couldn't take it anymore. He turned back, preferring to endure the sewer over this.

He suddenly spotted a book near the back wall.

It was several inches thick, bound by leather, and covered in a layer of dust. Wild stared miserably at it, knowing what it contained wasn't going to be good. He debated just ignoring it, then groaned. Goddamn him and his curiosity. This was going to get him killed one day. Scowling, Wild walked over. He opened the front cover, sending a cloud of dust flying.

There were names. Hundreds of them. Every page featured someone new, the handwriting consistent with every victim. Next to the victim's names detailed the reason for being here, and under that, the horrors inflicted upon them in this room.

"Goddess..." Wild muttered, flipping through the book aimlessly. Every page was filled to the brim, and it looked like there was no discrimination on whom were brought down here. There were women and men, Hylians, Gerudos, Zoras, Ritos, Gorons, all of different ages and social status. Some of the reasons they were brought down here were mind boggling. One Zora was here for withholding "valuable information." A woman was brought for "killing a boar." A Goron was punished for "blasphemy" though it didn't detail what kind.

Wild has always known the Sheikah held terrible secrets close to their hearts, but this? This was madness. Was the royal family aware of any of this?

Wild got to the final entry in the book. There was no name listed, only the crime the person committed.

 _Hylian_. _Age_ _24_. _Male_. _Tried_ _to_ _kidnap_ _the_ _princess_ _of_ _Hyrule_.

Wild threw a cautious look over his shoulder, making sure no one was standing behind him. When he confirmed no one was there, he continued reading.

The nameless Hylian apparently broke into the princess' bedroom in the dead of night. He killed four of her guards, including three Sheikah warriors. He managed to grab the princess but was caught when the horse he used to ride away on broke a shoe.

After the Sheikah rescued the princess, the man was brought down here. There was no interrogation, just punishment. Wild couldn't bring himself to read what they did to him, but it went on for what looked like _weeks_. After that... there was nothing else written.

Wild closed the book and swiped at his eyes. Was this why he was down here? Because that arm-less _thing_ out there thinks Wild was the princess, and its trying to relive the memory? What did the Hylian have planned for that princess? What did he have plan for Wild?

Wild could worry about that later on. Right now his priority was to get to the surface, find the others and-

Wild took a step. He suddenly stumbled and threw out an arm, catching himself on the edge of a table. What the hell-? There was nothing in front of him, so why...? He looked down. A pool of bright, fresh blood was surrounding his feet. Wild bit his lip. He lifted up his shoe-less foot to check.

There was a nail embedded deep into his sole.

It didn't even hurt. His foot was too numb for that.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: blood, body horror

Sky slumped against the wall, a hand on his chest, grabbing at his heart. He gasped and doubled over, sweat running down his forehead.

"Wait guys!" Hyrule called out to the others. "Something's wrong!"

The group stopped. The sewer tunnels could only occupy two people side by side, and those in the back could not see what was happening. They raised their torches to give Hyrule more light as he squatted down next to Sky.

"You should've told us you were claustrophobic," said Hyrule.

"I'm not," said Sky. "It's not me... it's her."

He patted his back to where the Master Sword sat.

Hyrule frowned. "... the sword is claustrophobic?"

"What? No! She hates this place. She doesn't want to be here."

"I can't blame her," said Time. "Down here is where the royal family and Sheikah buried their secrets. This place holds more blood than we're capable of imagining."

Sky shook his head. "It's something else. She's... she's _mourning."_

Twilight stiffened. "Is Wild dead?"

"We would have felt it," Legend said. "And we're not easily killed. Sky, can you walk?"

Sky took several deep breaths and nodded. It took him another few seconds to find strength, and with a pained groaned, straightened up. "I'm fine," he said. "We're fine."

 

 

 

 

 

Twilight considered shifting in front of the others.

He promised himself he would never reveal the wolf to the others. It was out of respect for Midna, and out of fear of corruption of magic. There were some secrets that should never be revealed, even to those closest to him. But here in these endless tunnels, it was hard to tell where which tunnel began and which one ended. He wanted to shift so he could scent track.

A hand was placed on his shoulder. "Calm," Time said to him. "You're going to worry yourself to death."

Twilight rubbed a hand over his face. "The Sword is not the only one responding to this place. You noticed it too, I bet. We can all feel it. It's like a pillow over my face, suffocating me. There's more to this place than just blood and death."

They've only been down here for about an hour and it felt like something was squeezing his heart. He couldn't imagine what it must be for Wild, who'd been down here for over twelve hours.

Time nodded. "Not even the Shadow Temple felt this... smothering. It could be the souls of the damned, or it could be black magic."

"I'm scared," Twilight admitted suddenly. "Not only for Wild, but for myself. We need to get out of here as soon as-."

_"Twilight...?"_

At the small voice, the two ceased their chatter. Twilight held the torch up higher, his eyes narrowing down the long length of the tunnels. There was a sound of gentle splashing, and coming out from the darkness was Wild.

He looked like hell. He was covered head to toe in grime, blood thick in his hair, clumping it together like glue. His once beautiful Gerudo outfit was now torn in several areas, mud staining the green coloring into an ugly brown. He was also limping badly. A makeshift bandage made out of his sleeve wrapped around his naked, blood-soaked foot.

"Wow," said Wild quietly. "You all look like how I feel."

"Fucking-a, kid," Twilight said. He shoved the torch into Warrior's hands and rushed forward. He grabbed Wild's arm and put it over his shoulders to help him take the weight off the foot. "What the hell happened down here?"

"Oh, some demonic monster who thinks I'm the princess has fallen in love with me. It's a tale as old as time."

"What?"

"Please tell me someone here brought a potion."

"I have," said Legend. He pulled out a bottle. "What's wrong with your foot?"

"Stepped on a nail."

"It's still in there?"

"Yeah," Wild said.

"Then we need to pull it out before you take the potion. Otherwise the flesh will hardened around it and make it worse."

"...Please tell me you're lying."

"It's true," said Time. He came to stand on Wild's other side and took hold of his arm. "It happened to me."

Legend held up Wild's foot, taking the blood-soaked wrapping off of it, tossing it aside. He grimaced at the sight of the nail. "Hold onto Wild, he's going to struggle."

"Oh hell," Wild murmured as Twilight and Time tightened their grip.

Legend took hold of the nail between finger and thumb. "I'm going to pull on three. _One-!"_

He pulled.

Wild's scream echoed off of the walls. Twilight and Time held strong, keeping him from jerking backwards. Legend tossed aside the nail, and quickly poured the potion on the foot.

"Fuck," Wild said. Tears streamed down his face. "I didn't feel it go in, but I definitely felt it coming out."

Legend wrapped the foot with fresh bandages. "The worst is over now. Keep off of it to let it heal."

Suddenly, as if Wild chose to yell again, the echo of his scream came rushing back, vibrating off of the walls. His pain-filled cry got louder and louder as it got closer, forcing the heroes to clap their hands over their ears. Like a flock of birds flying away from a predator, the scream rushed over them, kicking up their hair. It only lasted for a quick second before the echo flew past and back down the darken tunnels.

"What the hell...?" Swords said as he lowered his hands. "Noise doesn't carry like that. What was-?"

More than three dozens pitch white hands suddenly burst forth from the ground and walls. The hands grabbed at the heroes, and in the resulting chaos, they dropped their torches in the water, plunging them into darkness.

"UGH! AH! FUCKER-! GET OFF-!"

"Someone get a light!"

"IS THIS ALL YOU GOT? C'MON!"

"There's too many of them-!"

"AH! Bastard! I'll show you!"

"I got a light! Give me a second..."

Wind held up a fire arrow, illuminating the entire tunnel. The hands were gone, leaving behind upturned stones, broken walls, and scratches on the ceiling. The heroes themselves were left worse for wear. Warriors had three deep bleeding scratches across his face, forcing his left eye closed. Swords entire backside looked like someone had whipped him for hours. Sky was off to the side, bent over and quietly vomiting.

"Where's Wild?" Twilight demanded. His entire right arm was a bloody mess. He didn't seem to care as he turned around, searching for his protégé. _"Where is he?"_


	7. Chapter 7

The hands passed Wild from one to another like he was a plate of food being distributed at the dinner table. He fought, he bit, he struggled. Every time he got loose and tried to jerk away, another hand appeared from _somewhere_ and continued to carry him on.

Eventually the hands brought him back to the original chamber he woke up in. They laid him down back upon the pile of animal skins and finally let go. Wild gave out one last kick at them before they disappeared back beneath the ground.

Wild pushed himself back onto his feet, intending to run back to the guys, and stopped. The monster was standing in front of him.

 _"Zel... da..."_ It groaned, raising its bloodied, stump arms like it was asking for a hug.

"Oh, shut up!" Wild snapped at him. "Enough of this! Get the hell out of my way!"

The monster didn't move. It cocked its giant head and looked down at Wild's bandaged foot.

_"Hurt..."_

"I'm hurt because of you! You did this to me!"

The monster shook its head. _"Pro... tect..."_

"Protect?" Wild repeated. "From what? My friends? They were here to help me!"

The monster continued to furiously shake its head, its dislocated jaw jiggling as it did so. _"Pro... tect... Pro... tect..."_

"I found the torture chamber."

That shut the monster up. It jerked, its next words dying in his mouth like a raspy wail.

"I read what they did to you," Wild continued. "It was awful and nobody deserved that, but you should've moved on a long time ago. There's nothing for you here now."

Wild took a cautious step forward. He hasn't told the monster the truth. He was afraid if he revealed himself not to be Zelda, it would trigger the monster into attacking him. This creature was too strong to take on by himself without any weapons. He had to stall, wait for the others to find him.

"Let me go," Wild said gently. "Let me go home."

 _"Hurt!"_ The monster groaned out. _"Hurt!"_

"What are you talking about?"

_"Hurt! Zel... da!"_

"Hurt me? Who? All I know is you kidnapped me one night. Tried to take me away. As far as I can see, the only thing hurting me here is _you_."

The monster struggled to breathe. It swallowed audibly, a clicking noise coming from its throat.

 _"Pro... tect..."_ It bit out. _"Pro... tect... Pro... tect... MY... prin... cess..."_

A bone-chilling cold settled deep inside of Wild's chest. "What...?"

Another hand rose from the ground in front of Wild. Unlike the other arms that were devoid of blood, this hand was alive, color still in its flesh. Its fingers were badly broken, many parts of its skin burned or cut-

And there on the back of the hand, flickering like a dying candle flame, was a Triforce piece.

Wild felt his heart **_stop._**

For a long second, the world around him ceased to be. He felt no pain, no cold, no wetness. He heard nothing except the blood roaring in his ears as everything he came to learn suddenly slotted together like the last piece in a puzzle.

This creature standing before him wasn't a monster. He was a _Hero_.

Wild gasped. "Hylia..."

The Hero, broken and worn, shuffled forward, coming into Wild's space. Wild made no attempts to step back. The fear and anxiety that was once swirling inside of him had vanished. Why would he be scared? This was his brother in arms, someone who vowed to protect his princess and has continued to do so long after death. There was no danger here.

 _"Zel... da..."_ The Hero said softly. With a contended sigh, he rested his chin against Wild's shoulder. _"Zel... da..."_

Wild closed his eyes and leaned into him, silent tears falling down his cheeks. The Hero's skin felt like fine leather after it's been treated and aged. He was cold. So, so cold.

Wild needed to get the Hero out of this damnable place. Bring him... bring him to where? Was he even technically alive? He needed help, more help than Wild could provide. Perhaps bring him to an actual Zelda; she would know how to-

The Hero suddenly reared back, a gut-wrenching scream bellowing out of his mouth. He twisted, forcing Wild to stumble back, revealing the arrow sticking out from between his shoulder blades.

And standing there at the entrance of the chamber, was Twilight. He was covered in blood, his clothes torn in several areas. His face was set in cold determination as he quickly notched another arrow. He let it fly.

The arrow struck the Hero right into his empty eye-socket with a echoing THUD. He screamed once again, sounding more like an animal than a man.

Wild ran forward, putting himself between the Hero and Twilight. "Stop! Don't hurt him!"

"What are you doing?" Twilight yelled. He already had another arrow notched, ready to fly. "Get out of the way!"

"He's one of us! He's a Hero!"

_"What?"_

"He's a Hero..." Wild said again. "Please... don't hurt him... he's been through enough."

Twilight lowered his bow and arrow, his eyes widening in horror.

The Hero was on the ground, curled in around himself, groaning softly in pain. Black blood leaked from where the arrows had struck him. Every breath he took sounded broken. Wild kneeled down and gently placed a hand on his cheek.

"We're going to get you some help, okay?" Wild said to him. "So just hold on."

 _"Zel...da..."_ the Hero said softly, his voice getting quieter. _"Zel... da..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how many suspected he was Hero before I revealed it? =D


	8. Chapter 8

Impa reached out with a pale, thin hand. Her skin was loose, dotted with age, and rested her palm on the book before her. She opened it, reading through a few passages. She sighed. "What do you wish to know?"

Sitting in front of her on a golden pillow was Wild. He was dressed back in his beloved Champion's tunic. Though he was in the presence of an old friend, in a village he came to consider as a second home, there was no love in his expression. "Why? Just... why?"

Impa continued to flip through the book of the damned. So many names. "The Sheikah... we have one goal above all else: ensure the survival of the princess. For if she is lost, then our world follows. Even the children here in Kakariko understands this. Those who bear the symbol have taken an oath to give our lives for her, and to do anything necessary to protect her. Even if it means..."

"Torture," Wild said.

Impa nodded. "This book... I've heard multiple conflicting rumors of it over the years. Some say it's all a myth, something to discredit the Sheikah. Others say it was Yiga clan. Either way... the story of the princess and her knight have stayed the same."

She turned the pages until she got to the final entry. She tentatively touched the written words like she expected the ink to burn her fingers.

"There have been plenty of stories of the knight falling in love with the princess," she said. "It's actually a common occurrence with you heroes. We in fact encourage it. It makes the Hero even more determine to fight for the princess, to keep her safe."

Wild averted his gaze.

"According to legend," Impa continued. "The knight fell in love with his princess. But when he learned she would have to sacrifice herself for the greater good, he tried to steal her away. He failed. And the Sheikah... they decided he was no different than a traitor. So they gave him a traitor's end."

She closed the book. "Tch. My predecessors should've known better that they cannot extinguished a Hero's Spirit."

"...and what of his princess?" Wild asked quietly. "What happened to her?"

Impa shook her head. "That, I don't know. I'm sorry, Link."

"I see..." Wild swiped at his eyes with his forearm. He stood up. "Thank you. I must be getting back to the others. I have an appointment with one of the locals businessmen of the town. He has pledged money to fill in the tunnels."

"Before you leave... may I ask what happened to the Hero?"

Wild gently touched the slate hanging off of his belt. "He's resting now."

Impa frowned. "What does that mean-"

"He's _resting,_ " Wild repeated. "That's all you need to know."

 

 

 

 

Wild walked out of the hut, stepping into the bright, warm sunlight. He lifted a hand up to shield his eyes.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, gazing over at the Goddess statue, were his friends.

"Hey," Twilight said as Wild came down the stairs. "Ready to go?"

Wild smiled at them. "Yes."

**Author's Note:**

> I am deliberately keeping the tags vague, but rest assured that this fic contains no sexual assault against any person.


End file.
